The freshman posted a personal-best of 8:49.42 in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase. Rotich took first place in the first heat of the steeplechase and finished second out of 48 of the nations top runners.

Anthony Wright will not be advancing to the NCAA Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. The Conference USA Champion crossed the finish line with a time of 10.56 in the 100m dash. The junior will be competing again tomorrow in the men’s 4x100m relay scheduled at 6 p.m. (CT).

Sophomore Abiola Onakoya was the only Miner to take the track today in the men’s 400m dash. The newcomer registered a time of 47. 08 in his first NCAA West Preliminary quarterfinals but failed to make the finals in Drake.

On the field, Demetris Elia finished 16th out of 48 competitors in the men’s hammer throw. The freshman almost matched his personal-best with a mark of 60.31m (197-10). Elia advanced to the finals but fouled his final three throws of the day barley missing the NCAA Championships.

Janice Jackson moves forward in the women’s 100m hurdles tomorrow night. The sophomore posted the seventh-fastest time of 13.24 in the prelims. The St. Catherine, Jamaican native finished second in the first heat of the 100m hurdles.

Endurance Abinuwa ran her final race as a Miner as she took 16th-place in the 400m dash at Myers Stadium. It was a dash to the finish line, but the senior was unable to earn a spot to the championships. Abinuwa recorded a time of 53.53 in the second heat of the women’s 400m.

Taylor Gunn fails to advance to the NCAA Championships in the women’s discus throw Friday morning. The freshman participated in the second heat of the day and posted a mark of 44.99m (147-01). This is Gunn’s first year as a Miner and has only set the bar high for next season.

El Paso native Matt Dudley will be the first Miner to compete tomorrow at 11 a.m. on the final day of the West Preliminary Championships. The men’s 4x100m relay will kickoff the running events for UTEP at 6 p.m.